Air Forks

yanks_178
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yanks_178
Edited Date/Time 2/6/2012 9:58am
Brock Tickle is using these tonight.. interesting!

https://twitter.com/#!/PCraceteam/status/165862634002976768/photo/1

https://twitter.com/#!/PCraceteam/status/165858346459607040/photo/1
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slipdog
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slipdog 2/4/2012 11:59am
2/4/2012 11:59am
Intrerested in the details, but I'd guess they use an air filled bladder to replace the ICS spring similar tho the WP forks
Hando
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Hando 2/4/2012 12:08pm
2/4/2012 12:08pm
what is the down fall to these things??

Aren't they popular with mtb bikers?
norcal3737
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norcal3737 2/4/2012 12:10pm
2/4/2012 12:10pm
this is great news.

In the latest MXA, it shows a picture of them, and a claimed 2lb. Which is Huge in terms of weight loss.

In the downhill mountain bike world, an air fork saves about 1lb or little over a 1lb, and the weight loss is noticeable. I'm sure over time, they'll be able to get a lil more weight out of the air forks.
CRFracer117
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CRFracer117 2/4/2012 12:11pm
2/4/2012 12:11pm
This is old school....

The Shop

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slipdog
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slipdog 2/4/2012 12:18pm
2/4/2012 12:18pm
So are you guys saying they are full on air spring forks?
rustytrombone 2/4/2012 12:23pm
2/4/2012 12:23pm
They look pretty slim. I wonder how much that would affect the feel and handling of the bike.
wildbill
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wildbill 2/4/2012 12:35pm
2/4/2012 12:35pm
nitrogen? Or some unobtanium gas not even on the periodic table?
TX24
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TX24 2/4/2012 12:54pm
2/4/2012 12:54pm
Nitrogen. Bones said he wanted them called nitrogen forks instead of air. No more springs to replace and only one fork to send in for a revalve.
mx_phreek 2/4/2012 1:00pm
2/4/2012 1:00pm Edited Date/Time 2/4/2012 1:00pm
These are what js7 is using at the minute that he had to wait for to land from japan just before season started.
motov8tedcre8tor 2/4/2012 1:01pm
2/4/2012 1:01pm
Way back in the 70s my old Ossa Phantom was modified with a Fox air fork kit. That is definitely old school although it didn't help the handling much. Always wondered why that technology was never developed more
TX24
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TX24 2/4/2012 1:05pm
2/4/2012 1:05pm
The old Fox air shocks used the bladders to adjust stiffness, but still had internal springs. How did the fork kit work?
TX24
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TX24 2/4/2012 2:12pm
2/4/2012 2:12pm
I guess that would be from a weak bladder.
Xeno
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Xeno 2/4/2012 2:24pm
2/4/2012 2:24pm
I take it these Air Forks are not legal in the 250 class? To be legal in 250's they need to be availble to the public, right?

I saw a presentation on these at Glen Helen recently. Looks awesome!
zippy895
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zippy895 2/4/2012 3:01pm
2/4/2012 3:01pm
Hando wrote:
what is the down fall to these things??

Aren't they popular with mtb bikers?
none
TX24
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TX24 2/4/2012 3:04pm
2/4/2012 3:04pm
Xeno wrote:
I take it these Air Forks are not legal in the 250 class? To be legal in 250's they need to be availble to the public...
I take it these Air Forks are not legal in the 250 class? To be legal in 250's they need to be availble to the public, right?

I saw a presentation on these at Glen Helen recently. Looks awesome!
Nope, don't think so.
Sherwood
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Sherwood 2/4/2012 3:19pm
2/4/2012 3:19pm Edited Date/Time 2/4/2012 3:19pm
Xeno wrote:
I take it these Air Forks are not legal in the 250 class? To be legal in 250's they need to be availble to the public...
I take it these Air Forks are not legal in the 250 class? To be legal in 250's they need to be availble to the public, right?

I saw a presentation on these at Glen Helen recently. Looks awesome!
I think the rule states only 15 need to be available and under 10 grand.
slipdog
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slipdog 2/4/2012 3:28pm
2/4/2012 3:28pm
Last time I checked the rule was $6500 and had to be available to any AMA Pro with the cash. (a few years ago)

Pit Row

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sec114
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sec114 2/4/2012 3:30pm
2/4/2012 3:30pm Edited Date/Time 2/4/2012 3:30pm
if someone were to buy a pair (since apparently at least 15 have got to be), how does the fork get adjusted as far as the nitrogen goes???
Fat Fingers
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Fat Fingers 2/4/2012 3:50pm
2/4/2012 3:50pm
Here is a cut out of a fox mtb fork. I guess an mx fork would be a lot different to this... would both of the Showa forks have springs or be more like the left hand side stack of this fox fork?


Ghost of Jabroni 2/4/2012 3:50pm
2/4/2012 3:50pm
slipdog wrote:
Last time I checked the rule was $6500 and had to be available to any AMA Pro with the cash. (a few years ago)
I hope nobody actually expects the AMA to enforce this?
slipdog
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slipdog 2/4/2012 4:33pm
2/4/2012 4:33pm
I think we all know what's in the rulebook and what gets enforced can be very different, lol.
slowvet
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slowvet 2/4/2012 4:37pm
2/4/2012 4:37pm
CRFracer117 wrote:
This is old school....
Brought back some memories of making our own air forks back in the day.
motogrady
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motogrady 2/4/2012 5:02pm
2/4/2012 5:02pm
CRFracer117 wrote:
This is old school....
slowvet wrote:
Brought back some memories of making our own air forks back in the day.
Ditto. Airfittings right thru the cap, chuck the springs, ATF, good to go.
Wanna get exotic, tee the 2 together for balanced pressures.
mxb2
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mxb2 2/4/2012 5:05pm
2/4/2012 5:05pm
slipdog wrote:
Last time I checked the rule was $6500 and had to be available to any AMA Pro with the cash. (a few years ago)
X2 on that, the price might be $8000, i gotta do some research.
Fat Fingers
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Fat Fingers 2/4/2012 5:10pm
2/4/2012 5:10pm
It would be cool if mounted on the fork was a high pressure nitrogen cylinder that could be controlled similar to clutch. Before whoops, pressure up, after whoops release pressure.
backinthesaddleagain 2/4/2012 5:17pm
2/4/2012 5:17pm
In the 70's air forks were supposed to be trick, but as the fork heated up the psi increased and therefore the fork got stiffer. Then the 80's came and the shrader valve at the top of each tube was used to bleed pressure off (of course how do you bleed off during the moto)? Nitrogen stays more neutral pressure wise as temps increase.
mx317
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mx317 2/4/2012 5:46pm
2/4/2012 5:46pm
TX24 wrote:
The old Fox air shocks used the bladders to adjust stiffness, but still had internal springs. How did the fork kit work?
None of the ones I've rebuilt had internal springs. The bladder held one PSI and the chamber another PSI. I used to run 75-80 on one end and 150-165 PSI on the other.
slipdog
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slipdog 2/4/2012 5:52pm
2/4/2012 5:52pm
Fat Fingers wrote:
It would be cool if mounted on the fork was a high pressure nitrogen cylinder that could be controlled similar to clutch. Before whoops, pressure up...
It would be cool if mounted on the fork was a high pressure nitrogen cylinder that could be controlled similar to clutch. Before whoops, pressure up, after whoops release pressure.
Funny you say that... I thought about doing that a few years ago. All you would have to do is set it up with a sub-tank system and hook them to a shut off valve controlled by a small lever or switch on the bars. If you ran a higher pressure in relation to the sub-tank volume the forks would act normal (per internal SX settings). Before the whoops the could shut the valve off and the forks would become much stiffer without the extra sub-tank volume. Simple...... patent pending!Wink
bvm111
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bvm111 2/4/2012 6:04pm
2/4/2012 6:04pm
slipdog wrote:
Last time I checked the rule was $6500 and had to be available to any AMA Pro with the cash. (a few years ago)
last time i checked Brock is riding in the 450 class.... not 250

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